Stephen Herman

Stephen Herman is a Canadian civil litigator with more than three decades of experience supporting clients navigate legal disputes, while prioritizing advocacy and professional collegiality.  Yet, like many professionals, he eventually confronted two questions that legal training and reason alone could not answer: Is there more to life than the practice of law, and what happens when the career that has embraced and defined you comes to an end?

These questions became the catalyst for a profound personal and creative pivot. Turning from the courtroom to the camera, and while still working as a lawyer, Stephen began making documentary films. His projects have examined issues of justice and social impact in diverse locations, including Ethiopia, Central America, Guyana, and Vietnam. These filmmaking experiences expanded his perspective on what is possible in addition to the practice of law, opening new pathways for creativity and purpose while concurrently revitalizing his commitment to his legal career. 

His most recent film, Retirement on Trial, wrestles with a question many professionals quietly avoid: how to face the inevitability of aging and make peace with the end of a defining career. Framed as a courtroom-style inquiry—and infused with a deliberate touch of humor—Stephen steps into the role of advocate to take on the most important case of his career: defending retirement. Like witnesses testifying in court, lawyers, judges, and other professionals offer candid reflections, revealing not only their assumptions and fears about retirement but also the possibilities and untapped potential that can emerge through this profound life transition.